The present invention relates to applicator systems capable of delivering a flowable composition from a container at any orientation of the container.
An applicator system capable of all orientation delivery is disclosed in JP 7-022951U.
Such an applicator system, hereinafter referred to as an applicator system of the kind described, comprises:
a container including an inner collapsible layer distinct from an outer deformable layer, the inner collapsible layer defining a reservoir, and the outer deformable layer being separated from the inner collapsible layer by a buffer zone;
a dispenser including a first passageway distinct from a second passageway, the first passageway being in communication with the buffer zone and the second passageway being in communication with the reservoir; and
valve means operable to control entry of air into the buffer zone through the first passageway and exit of flowable composition from the reservoir through the second passageway.
However, a one-way flapper valve is provided to control the entry of the air into the buffer zone through the first passageway, and a physically separate one-way flapper valve is provided to control the exit of the flowable composition from the reservoir through the second passageway.
It would be commercially desirable if an applicator system of the kind described could be simplified, allowing assembly to be easier and thus allowing manufacture to be more efficient.
Such a simplification is achieved by the present invention, in which an applicator system of the kind described is characterised in that the valve means is of unitary construction.
It would be possible for the container to be a delaminating container, in which the inner collapsible layer progressively peels away from the outer deformable layer, but the inner collapsible layer may alternatively comprise a flexible bag.
Preferably, an inlet part of the valve means controlling the first passageway is a flapper valve.
To avoid reliance on a single air inlet, which may become blocked by any of the flowable composition dripping down the outside of the dispenser, the first passageway may include a plurality of circumferentially spaced air inlets, and the flapper valve may be of annular shape.
Preferably, an outlet part of the valve means controlling the second passageway is a quadrolobe valve a quadrolobe valve opens from the centre, rather than the side, and is thus capable of achieving a smoother flow during exit of the flowable composition from the reservoir.
It will be appreciated that assembly is particularly simple if the valve means is a push fit with the dispenser.
More particularly, the quadrolobe valve may be a push fit within the second passageway.
It will also be appreciated that assembly of the dispenser with the container can be simplified if the dispenser is a simple direct or indirect push fit with the container.
In one arrangement, the dispenser is a push fit within an insert, and the insert is a push fit within a neck of the container, the insert having an annular channel surrounding a tubular member, with the annular channel including at least one opening forming part of the first passageway, and the tubular member contacting the valve means and forming part of the second passageway.